All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

24-story rental tower above historic Fort Greene church approved by Landmarks

144 Saint Felix, view looking up from the south. All images courtesy of FXCollaborative.

March 19, 2026

24-story rental tower above historic Fort Greene church approved by Landmarks

By Aaron Ginsburg

After revising their original proposal, developers won Landmarks Preservation Commission approval Tuesday to build an apartment building on top of a historic Fort Greene church. Developer Stretke, along with architects FXCollaborative and ADP Architects, got the green light for the project at 144 St. Felix Street, which will restore the facade of the landmarked Hanson Place Central United Methodist Church and construct a 24-story tower above it. The developers were asked to address concerns about the building’s height and massing, which the local community board and residents called “inappropriate” for the site and the surrounding Brooklyn Academy of Music Historic District. The revised proposal lowered the height by about 30 feet, from 27 stories to 24 stories.
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NYC to end criminal summonses for minor e-bike and cycling offenses

Credit: Elvert Barnes on Flickr

March 19, 2026

NYC to end criminal summonses for minor e-bike and cycling offenses

By Aaron Ginsburg

E-bike riders and cyclists will no longer face criminal summonses for low-level offenses, as Mayor Zohran Mamdani rolls back a policy of his predecessor. On Wednesday, Mamdani announced that, beginning March 27, the NYPD will rescind a policy introduced under former Mayor Eric Adams that issued criminal summonses for minor violations, like running a stop sign, which required riders to appear in criminal court. Instead, officers will issue standard traffic tickets to cyclists, the same given to drivers.
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Meta to open first NYC flagship store on Fifth Avenue

Images courtesy of Meta

March 18, 2026

Meta to open first NYC flagship store on Fifth Avenue

By Aaron Ginsburg

Meta will open its first flagship store in New York City. Vornado Realty Trust on Wednesday announced retail store Meta Lab will occupy the five-story townhouse at 697 Fifth Avenue, next to the St. Regis Hotel. Last November, the company opened a pop-up shop at the building, which was painted bright blue and offered Meta's AI glasses and virtual-reality headsets to test. With existing office space at The Farley Building, Meta's 10-year agreement with Vornado adds to its NYC footprint.
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Citi Field to host women’s pro soccer match ahead of World Cup final

Photo courtesy of Gotham FC

March 18, 2026

Citi Field to host women’s pro soccer match ahead of World Cup final

By Aaron Ginsburg

Citi Field will host one of women’s professional soccer’s biggest rivalries this summer. On Tuesday, Gotham FC announced that it will face off against the Washington Spirit on July 15 as part of "The Queens Classic," a highly anticipated rematch of the 2025 NWSL Championship and the first women’s sporting event held at the home of the New York Mets. The match comes four days before the men’s FIFA World Cup Final arrives at MetLife Stadium, adding to the wave of soccer events set to sweep the tri-state region this summer.
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Events & Things To Do

MTA sues Trump administration over frozen Second Avenue Subway funding

Photo courtesy of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr.

March 17, 2026

MTA sues Trump administration over frozen Second Avenue Subway funding

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is suing President Donald Trump's administration after it failed to resume federal funding for the Second Avenue Subway expansion. Filed Tuesday in the Federal Court of Claims, the lawsuit claims the federal government breached a contract with the MTA and threatens the $7 billion project to extend the Q line from 96th Street to 125th Street in East Harlem by blocking the agency from awarding its next excavation contract for two new stations. The MTA had warned the federal government late last month that it would take legal action if more than $58 million owed for the project was not restored within a week.
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$37.5M restoration of Prospect Park’s Vale begins

Prospect Park Vale Pollinator Meadow + Arbor. All images courtesy of the Prospect Park Alliance.

March 17, 2026

$37.5M restoration of Prospect Park’s Vale begins

By Aaron Ginsburg

Work to restore Prospect Park’s Vale of Cashmere, a once-scenic area in the northeast corner of the park that has fallen into disrepair, kicked off on Monday. Led by the Prospect Park Alliance, NYC Parks, and the city's Economic Development Corporation, the $37.5 million project will transform eight acres of the Vale in its first major restoration in more than 50 years, revitalizing the historic Children’s Pool and former rose garden and adding new amenities, including a pollinator garden, a planted arbor, and a wooden pavilion. Using funds allocated by former Mayor Bill de Blasio, the project is the largest single capital investment in Prospect Park since Lakeside in 2010. The restoration is expected to be completed in 2027.
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Architecture And Design

NYC to reduce speed limit to 15 mph in 800 school zones this year

Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

March 17, 2026

NYC to reduce speed limit to 15 mph in 800 school zones this year

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City will lower the speed limit to 15 miles per hour at 800 school zones this year, with plans for so-called slow zones at all 2,300 school locations by 2029. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the city's Department of Transportation (DOT) announced on Monday plans to use Sammy's Law, state legislation that allows the city to lower speed limits, to expand slow zones for schools.
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19 affordable co-ops in Harlem available, from $220K

357 West 115th Street under renovation. © 2024 Google

March 16, 2026

19 affordable co-ops in Harlem available, from $220K

By Aaron Ginsburg

Here's a rare opportunity to buy an affordable apartment in Manhattan. City-owned buildings in Harlem, at 357 West 115th Street and 321 West 116th Street, have been redeveloped and converted into affordable two- and three-bedroom co-ops through the Affordable Neighborhood Co-operative Program (ANCP). The city opened a housing lottery for 19 co-ops, priced from $220,000 and available to New Yorkers earning up to 80 percent of the area median income.
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Affordable Housing

Mamdani creates NYC’s first LGBTQIA+ office

Credit: Kara McCurdy | Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

March 16, 2026

Mamdani creates NYC’s first LGBTQIA+ office

By Aaron Ginsburg

Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Friday signed an executive order establishing the city’s first Mayor’s Office for LGBTQIA+ Affairs and appointed the first transgender person to lead a New York City office. Led by Taylor Brown, now the highest-ranking trans person in city government history, the office will focus on advancing policies that ensure city agencies serve queer New Yorkers while upholding sanctuary protections and supporting individuals fleeing anti-LGBTQIA+ oppression. The move comes amid growing attacks on LGBTQIA+ protections and resources under President Donald Trump’s administration, including incidents in NYC.
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Policy

Full NJ Transit service to resume with new Portal North Bridge opening

The project in 2024. Photo courtesy of Amtrak

March 13, 2026

Full NJ Transit service to resume with new Portal North Bridge opening

By Aaron Ginsburg

Some good news for New Jersey Transit riders: Full service to and from New York City will resume Sunday as the agency finishes replacing the century-old Portal Bridge. Service has been cut by 50 percent since February 15, while rail operations switched from the old bridge to the new $1.5 billion Portal North Bridge over the Hackensack River. A key part of the Gateway Project, the bridge will improve service by allowing trains to travel up to 90 mph, up from the previous 60 mph limit, according to Gothamist.
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Popular Articles

Smorgasburg returns for 16th year this April with 22 new vendors

Credit: Sam Hollenshead

March 13, 2026

Smorgasburg returns for 16th year this April with 22 new vendors

By Aaron Ginsburg

Smorgasburg has unveiled its lineup of vendors ahead of its return next month, kicking off its 16th season the first weekend in April. The beloved outdoor food market will host 74 vendors, including 22 making their Smorasburg debut. The market opens in Williamsburg’s Marsha P. Johnson State Park on Saturday, April 4, followed by Prospect Park’s Breeze Hill on Sunday.
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Gracie Abrams drops $4.5M on another Greenwich Village penthouse

(L) Gracie Abrams. Credit: Justin Higuchi on Flickr (R) 1 Fifth Avenue. Image via WikiCommons

March 13, 2026

Gracie Abrams drops $4.5M on another Greenwich Village penthouse

By Aaron Ginsburg

Gracie Abrams has purchased another unit at Greenwich Village’s 1 Fifth Avenue co-op, a year after buying a $5.5 million penthouse in the building, with plans to combine the two. The pop star paid $4.5 million for the 18th-floor penthouse, which was once two separate units and now includes one bedroom, two bathrooms, and two terraces. If combined with the other unit, Abrams' residence in the building could span five bedrooms, five bathrooms, and five terraces, according to The Real Deal.
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Historic ruling forces Bronx landlord to pay $2.1M, fix violations within a month

919 Prospect Avenue © 2024 Google

March 12, 2026

Historic ruling forces Bronx landlord to pay $2.1M, fix violations within a month

By Aaron Ginsburg

A South Bronx landlord must pay $2.1 million and fix severe, long-standing violations within a month following a historic court judgment. On Thursday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the first-of-its-kind ruling against the owners of 919 Prospect Avenue, imposing the maximum penalties under the city’s Nuisance Abatement Law. The landlord must address the most severe violations within two weeks, correct all remaining issues within a month, and pay $1,000 for each day the property remained a public nuisance, including a retroactive penalty of $2,174,000.
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Policy

Former Jehovah’s Witnesses Watchtower complex could become 600+ apartments

Renderings courtesy of CIM Group

March 12, 2026

Former Jehovah’s Witnesses Watchtower complex could become 600+ apartments

By Aaron Ginsburg

Brooklyn Heights’ iconic Watchtower Building, the longtime world headquarters of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, may soon be transformed into a waterfront development with hundreds of homes. Developer CIM Group is proposing a mixed-use redevelopment at 25-30 Columbia Heights that would include 661 apartments, some of them affordable, along with 113,000 square feet of commercial space. The project is expected to enter the city's uniform land use review procedure (ULURP). CIM presented the plan to Brooklyn Community Board 2 last June before filing a land-use application in December, according to city records.
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Where to hear traditional Irish music in NYC

March 12, 2026

Where to hear traditional Irish music in NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

With St. Patrick's Day less than a week away, New Yorkers can tap into the city's rich Irish heritage at pubs and cultural institutions across the five boroughs. Beyond just March 17, many spots host weekly traditional Irish music nights, known as "trad" sessions, or seisiún in Irish, where skilled musicians gather to enliven barrooms with tunes. Whether you want to join in on fiddle or guitar, or simply enjoy the music with a Guinness in hand, here are some of the city’s best spots to listen to live traditional Irish music.
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Events & Things To Do

The NYC Half Marathon is Sunday: Here’s what to know

Credit: New York Road Runners

March 11, 2026

The NYC Half Marathon is Sunday: Here’s what to know

By Aaron Ginsburg

The annual United Airlines New York City Half Marathon returns on Sunday, March 15. The 13.1-mile race will feature more than 30,000 participants with a route that starts near the Brooklyn Museum, moves through Prospect Park, across the East River, along the FDR Drive, up Times Square, and finishes in Central Park. This year also marks the debut of the Half Expo, presented by New Balance at the Jacob K. Javits Center from March 12 to 14, where participants can pick up bibs, attend course strategy sessions, and enjoy sponsor activations. Ahead, here's everything you need to know about this year's event, from the route and start times to the best ways to watch (or avoid) the race.
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Events & Things To Do

City Council approves 72-story Downtown Brooklyn tower with 1,200+ apartments

All renderings courtesy of Binyan Studio and TenBerke Architects

March 11, 2026

City Council approves 72-story Downtown Brooklyn tower with 1,200+ apartments

By Aaron Ginsburg

The New York City Council on Tuesday approved a plan to transform a Downtown Brooklyn office building into a massive mixed-use tower with over 1,200 new homes. The existing city-owned seven-story office tower at 395 Flatbush Avenue Extension will be replaced with a 72-story building, set to become the second-tallest building in the borough after The Brooklyn Tower. The project includes 1,263 new housing units, including 325 affordable apartments for households earning an average of 60 percent of the area median income (AMI).
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30-foot surrealist steel sculptures arrive in two Manhattan neighborhoods

Chasing Rainbows, 2026, by Charlotte Colbert. Artwork © Charlotte Colbert, 2025. Photo © Timothy Schenck. Curated by New Public

March 10, 2026

30-foot surrealist steel sculptures arrive in two Manhattan neighborhoods

By Aaron Ginsburg

Two massive steel sculptures debuted Tuesday in Flatiron and the Meatpacking District, bringing surrealism into dialogue with the skyscrapers of Manhattan. Created by New York-born artist and filmmaker Charlotte Colbert, "Chasing Rainbows" features two 30-foot-tall surrealist sculptures in the bustling Flatiron South Plaza and 14th Street Square, inviting passersby to reconnect with their imagination in public spaces. On view through May 27, the installation marks Colbert’s first U.S. public art installation and represents the city’s first dual-neighborhood public art collaboration.
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Architecture And Design

Mamdani unveils reforms to NYC’s sidewalk shed rules

Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

March 10, 2026

Mamdani unveils reforms to NYC’s sidewalk shed rules

By Aaron Ginsburg

While Mayor Zohran Mamdani may disagree with much of former Mayor Eric Adams’ agenda, the two align on one issue: removing New York City’s sidewalk sheds. Last week, the mayor announced a series of new initiatives aimed at removing longstanding scaffolding, with a focus on sidewalk sheds at public housing developments. The city’s Department of Buildings (DOB) will advance reforms to reduce the amount of shed coverage required over open space farther from buildings and to lengthen the timeline between facade inspections. The effort builds on initiatives from previous administrations, including Adams’ 2023 “Get Sheds Down” campaign, which sought to overhaul the city’s scaffolding rules and develop more aesthetically pleasing shed designs.
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Policy

14th Street’s pedestrian-focused redesign moves forward

East 14th Street at University Place © NYC DOT

March 9, 2026

14th Street’s pedestrian-focused redesign moves forward

By Aaron Ginsburg

Nearly seven years after the 14th Street busway launched, New York City is moving forward with more improvements to the Manhattan corridor. The city's Department of Transportation on Monday announced public outreach will kick off this month on the redesign of 14th Street, which will include upgraded pedestrian space, parks, and plazas, landscaping and greenery, and safety enhancements, all intended to complement the successful busway. DOT is currently conducting a $3 million, two-year study, first introduced by former Mayor Eric Adams last summer, to develop ways to enhance the experience of pedestrians and commuters on 14th Street.
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New Hell’s Kitchen venue will host hologram ABBA show

Credit: Raph_PH on Flickr

March 6, 2026

New Hell’s Kitchen venue will host hologram ABBA show

By Aaron Ginsburg

Extell Development this week applied to demolish part of a block in Hell's Kitchen to build a venue that will host a hologram show featuring the Swedish pop band ABBA. As first reported by Crain's, the firm seeks to raze a string of low-rise buildings in Hell’s Kitchen—formerly home to a strip club, a dance club, and a lumberyard—between 11th Avenue and West 45th and 46th Streets. The new venue will become the permanent home for ABBA Voyage, a production designed by the legendary 1970s pop group featuring holograms of their younger selves, according to the New York Times.
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Real Estate Trends

New York law banning discrimination against Section 8 tenants struck down by judges

Credit: Thomas Habr on Unsplash

March 6, 2026

New York law banning discrimination against Section 8 tenants struck down by judges

By Aaron Ginsburg

A New York appeals court on Thursday nullified a state law that prohibits landlords from discriminating against tenants who use Section 8 to pay rent. The five-judge panel sided with a landlord who appealed a lawsuit brought by Attorney General Letitia James in 2022, arguing the law violated his constitutional rights because the program allows housing officials to inspect his properties without a warrant, violating the Fourth Amendment.
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Policy

NYC announces $50M to rebuild 10 parks in underserved neighborhoods

Prospect Park. Photo by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

March 5, 2026

NYC announces $50M to rebuild 10 parks in underserved neighborhoods

By Aaron Ginsburg

Ten parks across New York City will receive $50 million in new investments, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Thursday. The parks, spread across every borough, are located in neighborhoods with the greatest need and have not seen significant upgrades in more than two decades. While the improvements are expected to benefit more than 116,500 New Yorkers, advocates have criticized Mamdani’s 2027 preliminary budget, which does not include the 1 percent of the budget for Parks Department funding that he pledged during his campaign.
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Policy

NYC’s largest men’s homeless shelter to close this month

Credit: Carl Mikoy on Flickr

March 5, 2026

NYC’s largest men’s homeless shelter to close this month

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's largest men's homeless shelter will shut down this month because of the building's deteriorating condition. As first reported by Gothamist, the Mamdani administration plans to close the city-owned Bellevue Shelter on East 30th Street in Kips Bay in mid-March, relocating 250 residents to allow for work to be done on the building. The shelter’s intake services will move elsewhere in Manhattan, and several new shelters are expected to open over the next six months.
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Policy

Hundreds of NYCHA apartments taken over by squatters as vacancies soar, report finds

Lilian Wald Houses in the East Village. Photo by Tdorante10 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0 on Wikimedia

March 4, 2026

Hundreds of NYCHA apartments taken over by squatters as vacancies soar, report finds

By Aaron Ginsburg

Squatters have occupied hundreds of New York City public housing apartments in recent years, as the number of empty units continues to rise, a new report shows. According to the report released Tuesday by the city’s Department of Investigation, the number of vacant NYCHA units increased from 2,840 in January 2022 to approximately 6,740 vacancies as of last May, despite 165,000 households waiting for an apartment. According to the DOI, the surge in empty units and the “absence of regular inspections” have fueled unauthorized occupancy, prompting the NYPD, DOI, and NYCHA to recover 548 apartments from illegal squatters over three years.
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